Tall Trees and Sea Monkeys
by Lyn1410G
Summary: A short,3 part series that looks at some sad/traumatic moments in the life of a very young Anthony 'Tony' DiNozzo. Drama/Angst.
1. Chapter 1

**Tall Trees and Sea Monkeys.**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own NCIS or any of it's characters.

**Spoilers:** No, not really but I did get the idea from comments that Tony made in the episodes 'Untouchable' and 'Iceman'.

**A/N:** This is part one of a very short set of chapters that address some sad/traumatic experiences in the young life of Anthony 'Tony" DiNozzo.

**1980**

"Why did you do that? You…..you did that on purpose, Mamma!" he accused, staring in disbelief at the woman standing facing him across the kitchen. His little body was rigid with hurt and he rocked from foot to foot, fists clenched by his side. His bottom lip twisted as he fought to control the anger that bubbled up inside him.

The once beautiful Gabriella DiNozzo stood swaying slightly, an empty glass in one hand; making a dismissive gesture with the other.

"Anthony, don't be silly. Mamma didn't mean to.." she started toward him, running the back of one small hand across her mouth in an effort to remove the foul taste.

Behind her, their housekeeper Sofia hurried to get a mop and soak up the mess before anyone slipped. She glanced quickly at Tony's little face, which had been so filled with excitement just moments before. His normally sparkling green eyes filled with tears that overflowed and streaked down his reddening cheeks.

"You did! You did mean it….I hate you!" Tony spun around and fled through the kitchen door, across the terrace and out into the back garden. Speeding as fast as he could across the lawn, he ran and ran until he came to his special, secret place.

Blindly, hands sought and gripped the branches as he climbed steadily upward. His feet followed where his hands had been as he went higher and higher. Branches tore at his clothes and scraped across his cheeks but he didn't falter, he didn't look down. He just kept climbing and climbing, his hands and feet remembering the way. With every thrust upward the branches became thinner and his small hands were able to grip more closely until he finally reached the top and settled his back firmly against the trunk. As he'd done so many times before, he closed his eyes and listened to the wind as it breathed gently through the branches of the great old tree and allowed the sound to soothe him. In time, the sharp, hiccuping sobs subsided and the tears that had stained his cheeks dried up.

Tony was a lonely little boy. The only child of parents whose relationship was, to all intents and purposes, over before he was born. His father had taken refuge from the loveless marriage by throwing himself into his work. Over the years, the DiNozzo Corporation had grown and was now a multi million dollar organisation that spread across the globe. As the company grew, Anthony DiNozzo Snr had spent less time at home and more in the arms of a succession of beautiful women. As a result of this obsession, his son became a stranger to him and the odd times when they met were strained and awkward.

His mother, Gabriella, took her refuge in a bottle and was usually well onto her third drink by lunchtime. She was a sad and bitter woman whose once beautiful features had hardened from her many disappointments and the pain of knowing that her husband had easily replaced her. Gabriella took every opportunity to warn Tony about the pitfalls of marriage and the risk involved in falling in love.

"Don't make the mistake your Mamma made, Anthony. Love and marriage is for fools."

It was left to Sofia, the matronly housekeeper, to provide what little love and affection she could to the boy. Tony loved Sofia and spent many hours sitting in the kitchen as she prepared their meals, or following her around the huge DiNozzo mansion chatting incessantly to the woman as she cleaned.

In turn, Sofia loved the small boy and silently cursed the selfishness of parents who, being too wrapped up in their own private 'marital war' to show their only child any love and affection, wouldn't even allow the child a pet to love.

So one day, Sofia had brought him a special surprise. A packet of Sea Monkeys complete with tank and water features, small coloured gravel and a bubbling, sunken treasure chest. Together they read the instructions and before long Tony had his very first pets to love and care for, to enjoy in his room and gaze at in wonder as they literally came to life before his eyes.

They were his only friends….well, besides Sofia that is.

But today he had brought his cherished Sea Monkey's down to the kitchen so that Sofia could help him change the water and clean the tank. It had been a while since they had changed the water and the tank was looking very green. Carefully they had scooped the tiny creatures into a small net and placed them in a tall glass on the granite bench top. Standing at the sink with his back to the door, he did not see his mother wander in, in search of another drink.

Ignoring the small boy and the woman at the sink, she spied the glass of green liquid on the bench, lifted it and took a long swallow. Realisation hit her and she bent forward, retching the vile concoction over the floor.

"Anthony! Anthony you come down here this minute! I know you're up there, damn it," Gabriella DiNozzo's voice reached him from below as she stood, arms crossed, at the base of the tree.

Ignoring his mother's demands, Tony opened his eyes and looked out across the park-like estate to the big white house in the distance that belonged to their closest neighbours.

Despite the distance he could see the house quite well and noticed that there were many children playing on the lawn today. Faint strains of music and laughter drifted on the air and as he watched, the mother moved in and out of the house escorting a new arrival to join in the fun.

A children's party!

There were little girls in pretty dresses, boys playing tag around the garden and a large table topped with party foods and balloons.

He wished he was there…if he squeezed his eyes shut he could pretend that that was his house, his family, his party.

Tony had never had a party.

He opened his eyes again to watch avidly as the partygoers gathered around a table and one small boy who sat at its head.

The parents were standing arm in arm and they all sang 'Happy Birthday' and clapped their hands when the boy blew out his candles. Tony closed his eyes again and imagined that he was the birthday boy surrounded by his loving family and friends. A small smile spread across his face.

He loved this tree!


	2. Chapter 2

**Tall Trees and Sea Monkeys.**

**Disclaimer:** see chapter 1.

**Spoilers**: No, not really.

**A/N: **This piece takes place 2 years later when Tony is 10yrs old. Apologies for the extreme angst, I'm obviously feeling the need to torture poor little Tony at the moment.

**1982**

Tony! Tony please come down, _piccolo mio,_" Sofia's voice called to him as he sat straight faced, staring through the trees, to the fairy lights that lit the big white house in the distance.

He vaguely heard Sofia talking quietly to the two police officers at the foot of the tree, their words drifting up to him on the chilly evening breeze. The end of his little nose had already turned red and was stinging and the tears that had settled on his cheeks had begun to crystalise.

"His father, Senor DiNozzo, is away in Los Angeles. A business trip, you understand. _Povero bambino_. To find her like that…." Sofia wrung her hands together and dabbed at her eyes with the corner of her apron.

"I was in the kitchen cleaning the dishes after supper and Tony was helping me. I asked him to go and see if his Mamma, Signora DiNozzo, wanted anything before I left and he….he found her lying on the floor," the elderly housekeeper crossed herself before continuing.

"Take your time, Ma'am," the officer said, trying to calm the distressed woman.

"I heard him screaming and I thought that he had hurt himself, so I ran upstairs and there she was. The bathroom door was opened and…and the blood was everywhere," she shuddered at the memory. "Tony was trying to wake her. He had a towel and was wrapping it around her hands and crying "Mamma, Mamma, please wake up Mamma".

The elderly housekeeper paused and blew her nose gently before continuing.

"I could tell it was too late. I went to him and took him in my arms and he cried his heart out _povero bambino_," Sofia started to weep softly as the older police officer recorded her statement and took down the contact number for Tony's father.

"Please, officer,…can you get him to come down?" Sofia begged.

The younger police officer shone his torch up the huge old Pine tree and located the small boy perched at the top. He tossed the torch to his partner and asked him to shine it up the tree trunk, then began to climb.

Tony heard the creaking of branches as the police officer came steadily closer. He concentrated on staring at the house in the distance, his little brow creasing with the effort to ignore the man climbing up to meet him. _Please go away!_ He thought.

Tony didn't look down, but he felt the branches shudder slightly as the officer stopped, just below the spot where the boy was perched at the top of the tree. The man couldn't climb any higher, from here on, the branches were starting to get very small and would probably not support his weight.

The officer settled himself against a sturdy branch, just below where Tony sat and eyed the boy for any signs of harm or injury. There were dark stains on the front of his shirt and pants and his hands were covered with, what he figured, was probably dried blood from his mother's wounds.

_God, the poor kid. _He thought. _What a shocking thing for him to witness._

"Hey Tony, my name's Michael, I'm a police officer," the young cop tried to get Tony's attention but the boy ignored him, staring resolutely toward the lights that twinkled in the distance. He followed the boy's gaze and noticed the large white house covered with fairy lights.

"Nice place. Belongs to the Carson family I think," he nodded toward the house in the neighbouring estate. "Sometimes I put my wife and kid in the car and drive up along this way so they can see all the big houses lit up with lights."

"My little boy calls it fairyland," he smiled to himself when he recalled the look of wonder that spread across his 4 yr old son's little face and the wistful sigh from his wife as she gazed at the sheer proportion of some of the homes in this estate.

_If his wife only knew what heartache existed behind some of these impressive front doors? _He thought. _Maybe she wouldn't envy the people who lived in these grand homes quite so much._

He realised that he'd never noticed this place lit up like all the others and wondered why.

Meanwhile, Tony continued to stare straight ahead as though he hadn't heard a word. His breath made little clouds of steam each time he exhaled, an indication of how cold it was up here.

Looking down the officer was reminded of just how high they were and forced down the fear that started to creep into his mind. The branches were becoming icy; he had to get the kid down before he froze to death.

Tony hadn't moved a muscle, hadn't even blinked an eye to acknowledge the officer's presence. He just sat, stony faced and continued to stare at the big white house in the distance.

"Um, I know that you're hurting real bad, Tony, but…you need to come down now, son. My partner's going to call your dad and he'll be home soon to be with you…."

"No he won't!"

The boy's head swung around sharply and he fixed the officer with a cold stare that belied his ten short years. The officer caught his breath at the look of such cynicism in one so young.

"C'mon, Tony, sure your dad's going to come home just as fast as he can. You'll see. Let's get you down now and we'll see if Sofia can rustle up some hot chocolate and a warm blanket. You must be getting cold by now!"

Tony was silent for another minute whilst he considered the officer's words. "She's dead isn't she?" he asked, his voice flat.

The officer drew an unsteady breath and looked hard at the young boy. Given their current position he wasn't really sure how he should answer that question. He was really worried that Tony might become distressed, lose his grip on the branches and fall. He shifted his position slightly so that he could better catch the child if he started to slip.

He nodded, answering softly. "Yeah………..I'm sorry, Tony."

Suddenly the boy turned toward him and looked him straight in the eye. "Do you play with your little boy, Officer Michael?" he asked, surprising the officer with an apparent change of subject.

"Aaah..Yes, Tony, I do, just as much as I can. We go to the game on weekends and I take him to his swimming lessons on Thursdays," he replied smiling. "If I'm not working the night shift, I'm in charge of bedtime stories too."

Tony's eyes widened as he listened intently to the policeman's reply. "My Dad never plays with me. He tells me to go away 'cos he's busy," Tony confided. "He says 'Later, Tony, we'll do something later.' But I know he doesn't really mean it."

The Officer closed his eyes briefly and cursed the boy's absent father. _Couldn't the man see how much his kid needed his attention?_

Tony thought a moment longer and continued "What about your little boy's Mamma? Do you love her? 'Cos my Dad doesn't love my Mamma, he's got a girlfriend and Mamma….Mamma says he can't be trusted".

The young officer filed that information away for his report as he searched desperately for words to answer the troubled child.

"Tony, sometimes problems…." he hesitated."There are all kinds of grown up things that can go wrong between mums and dads and sometimes, they don't know how to fix them. They don't mean to hurt each other or their kids."

Tony's brow furrowed. "I don't understand, Officer Michael. What kind of things?" he asked.

"Lots of things….money problems, for instance," the Officer said looking around at the expanse of beautifully manicured gardens and the grandiose house and cringing as he realised how silly that must sound to the young boy.

Tony shook his head so vigorously, that Michael was afraid he'd fall from his precarious position. "My Dad has lots of money."

"Sometimes having lots of money means having lots of money problems. I bet your Dad has to work really hard to make sure that you and your Mum and Dad can live in this wonderful home."

"But my Dad's _never_ home. He's always at work," Tony said bitterly. "Usually it's just me and my Mamma."

"Now I'm all alone," he sobbed. "What's going to happen to me now?"

"Right now, Tony? I'm going to need you to help me climb back down this big old tree and we're going to sit in the kitchen where it's warm and drink some of Sofia's best hot chocolate. And then we can talk, for as long as you want," he assured the boy. "Then I'm going to have a long chat with your dad when he gets here."

Tony considered that for a moment. He looked back across the estate to the big white house that he loved so much and wished he was there. He wished that tonight had never happened and that his Mamma was waiting for him in the house.

"Tony?" Michael prompted him softly.

Tony looked down at the base of the tree to where Sofia and the other police officer were anxiously waiting and then over to his own house. A white van with no windows was pulling up in the drive next to the police car, its lights flashing brightly across the lawn.

His little chin wobbled with emotion, fresh tears pooled in his eyes and he caught his lower lip between his teeth to keep from crying out loud.

"I'm scared," he whispered, as he turned slowly to face the young policeman.

"You can trust me, Tony," steady blue eyes met and held frightened green ones and the officer reached out his hand toward the boy. "I won't let you down."

Time seemed to stand still; Michael caught and held his breath as the boy searched the officer's face for any sign of a lie.

Then, hesitantly, Tony let go of the branch and placed his cold little hand in the young officer's, warm fingers closing around it and holding on tightly.

"Attaboy Tony!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Tall Trees and Sea Monkeys**

**Disclaimer:** See chapter 1.

**A/N: **Thank you to all who took the time to review and I hope you enjoy this last chapter.

"I want the truth Anthony!" his father turned toward him, angry colour heating his handsome face as he speared his son with an accusing glare. That he had already decided which version of the 'truth' he preferred was obvious and Tony felt his stomach clench as the pain of being thought a liar by his own father hit him like a low blow.

Standing just behind her husband's shoulder, Tony's stepmother allowed herself a moment to gloat and he watched as a glimmer of triumph flashed in her dark eyes and a satisfied smile curled the corner of her beautiful mouth. As her husband's gaze flicked toward her, she carefully schooled her features into the pained expression that she had been wearing for the last ten minutes.

"I'm sorry Anthony darling. I really am. I just don't know what to do with the boy," she put one long, red tipped finger to the corner of her eye as though wiping away an errant tear. "I've tried to be a good Mamma to him but he just pushes me away," she simpered, before moving in for the kill. "Maybe that military school we were looking at would be just the thing to instill some discipline and teach him to be more grateful?"

Tony looked with disbelief from his father's angry face to the woman who had been his stepmother for the last 4 months. She had ruined everything!

He had known from the moment his father had brought her home and announced that they were to be married, that any hope he had of having a proper father/son relationship with his dad was doomed. The beautiful and statuesque Donatella Fabrizi, had glided on her 3 inch Pollini heels, into the large marble foyer of the DiNozzo mansion, her eyes greedily placing a value on every stick of furniture, every painting on the walls, every priceless antique and her face lit up with a dazzling smile. She was like a cat with a saucer of cream.

Until she had spied Tony, that is. She had flinched with distaste at the sight of the boy, as though he was a bug that had crawled out from under the lounge and rubbed her hand down the side of her designer pantsuit to remove the feel of his small handshake.

From that time on she had plotted to paint Tony as scheming and rebellious in his father's eyes and unfortunately for Tony, his normally astute father, swallowed her poison without question.

"Well? What do you have to say for yourself son?" his father demanded. "Don't just stand there with that impertinent look on your face."

"What's the point Father? You never believe me anyway," Tony replied quietly and lowered his eyes to stare unseeingly at the tiled floor.

"That settles it then. I will make some calls in the morning to Rhode Island Military Academy and see about having you transferred immediately. We'll see if they can do anything with you. God knows I haven't had any success."

Tony's head whipped up as his father's words registered and shock ripped through him.

"NO! I won't go to your stupid school and you can't make me!" he screamed at his father. He couldn't believe that his father would actually send him away because of her. "I'll run away before I go."

And with that, Tony turned on his heel and raced out of the house into the night, sprinting across the south lawn and down the park like estate until he came to his favourite place and began to climb. Frantically he scrambled from branch to branch, as though by doing so, he could leave behind the pain and feelings of betrayal that had wrapped around his heart and threatened to stop its beating.

Angry tears stung his eyes and streaked down his cheeks and his chest hurt from the exertion as his hands blindly sought and gripped each branch, his legs pushing him ever higher.

Finally he reached the top; he settled his back along the thinning trunk and braced his feet against a sturdy branch. Closing his eyes, he allowed the cooling caress of the evening breeze against his face to help him relax and concentrated on slowing his breathing.

Once calm, he opened his eyes and turned his head toward the big white house in the distance. There were no lights tonight; the family might be out for the evening or maybe away on vacation. Try as he might to concentrate on the house and the family who lived inside, his thoughts kept drifting back to his own home and he recalled how his life had change in the last two years.

Immediately after his Mamma's death, Tony's father had taken to working from his home office. He arranged for his assistant to come to the house each day and they would work for long hours into the night. The sound of constantly ringing telephones and the tap, tap, tap of his PA's long nails on her computer keyboard, became a familiar sound as it emanated from the large book - lined study.

Visits to the towering city office building that housed the New York headquarters of the DiNozzo Corporation were few, business trips were replaced by conference calls and social invitations were often declined as Anthony DiNozzo Snr worked to regain the trust and affection of his small son.

On weekends, he took to trailing the boy along with him to his Civil War re-enactment - something that Tony quickly grew to hate - in the hope that they could find a common interest to share. Unfortunately, rather than allow the boy to don a uniform and beat a drum or wave a flag like all the others, Tony usually ended up carting around the 'poop' bucket, a task he most definitely did not enjoy, and very soon he began to avoid these outings at all cost. His father took his reluctance as a sign of rejection and the invitations to join him were not renewed.

Tony discovered that he had a natural ability for sports, particularly basketball and football, and tried to interest his father to help him train or watch him play. DiNozzo's aversion to any ball –game, other than golf, was strong and he instead suggested that Tony's time would be better spent at his studies.

Although he was _physically_ closer to the boy, they just couldn't seem to find any common ground and any displays of affection between them were awkward and forced.

Over time, his father started being drawn back into his city office more and more, the overseas business trips became more frequent and Tony was left with whoever was available at the time, be it the gardener, Sofia the housekeeper, his father's PA, or one time, a junior accountant in his father's office.

Then one day, his father had brought home Donatella and their fragile relationship took a spiraling nosedive.

A slight vibration through the branches and a soft scuffing noise cut across his private reverie and dragged his attention back to the present. He looked down and saw a dark shape moving cautiously from branch to branch, climbing ever closer to where Tony sat, perched at the top of the old pine tree. A cold hand of fear clutched at his gut and he drew and held a shaking breath. Looking around in panic he saw the blinking lights of a police vehicle in the front drive.

_How long had he been up here anyway?_ He wondered. The damp air had made his clothes feel cold and wet and he gave a small shudder as a chill ran down his back.

"Who's there?" he asked with a shaky little voice and the dark shape stopped momentarily.

"Tony? I had a hunch I'd find you up here," the voice answered from below.

The breath that Tony had been holding came out in a rush as he recognised the voice of his friend, Officer Michael Turner.

"Michael? What are you doing up here? What's going on?" Tony asked confused by the police officer's presence.

"Well I was going to ask you the same question, Tony. Dispatch got a call a couple of hours ago about a runaway and I recognised the address," the officer replied as he moved closer and settled against a sturdy branch. "Talk to me, Tony,…….what's happened?"

Tony closed his eyes for a brief moment and lowered his chin to his chest. Just as Michael thought he was going to have to pry an answer out of the boy, he answered in a small voice. "My Dad doesn't want me anymore. Everything was…well things were a bit better than, you know, than before. Before my Mamma…" he stuttered in reply. "We were working it out."

He knew how hard it was for the boy to talk about his mother's death and the relationship that existed between him and his father. "Go on, Tony," Michael encouraged.

"She hates me! My dad's new wife," he explained. "She gives me dirty looks when my dad's not looking and she tells him lies about me."

"Why would she do that, Tony?" the young officer asked quietly, although having just met the new Mrs. DiNozzo at the front door, he had his suspicions.

"She just wants him all to herself. She's really mean. She told my dad all about this private school in Rhode Island and he says he's going to send me there," Michael grimaced as he heard the fear in the young boy's voice.

"Tony, I hear your dad raised all kinds of hell when they couldn't find you this evening. He practically ordered a state-wide search," Tony looked up at this, disbelieving. "That's a pretty good indication to me that he cares about what happens to you. Maybe at the moment he can't see clearly, but he will come to realise the truth soon enough."

"But I won't know anyone there. What if they don't like me?"

"Hey, Tony, maybe it won't be so bad," the officer tried to reason with him. "I hear some of those schools are a whole lot of fun and I'm sure you'll make some real good friends. They have great sports programs too!"

Michael had made it a point, to try to catch up with Tony at least once a month, more often than not, at Tony's school basketball games. He wanted to make certain that someone was there to see him play and to encourage him. The fact that the boy's own father was never there to cheer him on from the side lines, he knew, was a constant source of heartache for the kid. Tony would search the stands throughout the game, hoping for a glimpse of his dad, but he was usually disappointed.

"But if I go to Rhode Island I'll never see you again, will I?" he asked. "It's miles away."

"Yes it is a long way but it's not forever. What about school holidays? You'll be coming home won't you?"

Tony nodded and they sat in silence for a few moments, each of them thinking about the coming months and how they would miss the other one.

"Do you like being a police officer, Michael?" Tony asked suddenly, changing the subject.

"Yes. Yes I do, Tony. Sometimes it's very sad and I see some terrible things, but other times I get to meet really nice people who are having a tough time and I get to help them out. That's a great feeling."

"Is that why you came here tonight?" the boy asked quietly.

"I came here, Tony, because we're friends, and friends watch out for each other."

Tony was silent a moment while he savoured Michael's words and gradually, a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"You know, my dad wants me to be a businessman like him and work in an office all day long. But I'm going to be a professional basketball player."

Michael grinned and reached out a hand to ruffle the boy's hair. "Tony, I think you can be whatever you want to be and when you're playing NBL, I'll expect courtside seats!"

Tony grinned. "You'll have them."

"Come on then. Let's get you home before your father calls out the National Guard."

***************************************

A few days later, Tony stood on the front steps and watched as the chauffer loaded his suitcases into the trunk.

After his long talk with Officer Michael that night, he'd returned to the house to find his father furiously pacing back and forth in the foyer. Tony had taken one look at the expression on his father's face and beaten a hasty retreat to his room.

Over the next couple of days, he waited on tenterhooks for his punishment. He'd half expected a spanking, or at the very least, a dressing down but instead he was treated to an icy silence and cold, disapproving stares that were far worse. The blatant disappointment in his father's eyes and his refusal to even speak to Tony made him almost relieved when the day finally dawned for him to leave for his new school.

The driver opened the rear door and Tony climbed into the back of the car, twisting around to watch out the back window.

_Surely his father was coming to wave goodbye? _

The car slowly moved off, its tyres crunching on the long graveled drive as it wound it's way to the front gate.

Through the rear window, Tony thought he saw a curtain move in the window of his father's study.

The car pulled onto the winding main road and accelerated as it headed toward the highway. From the backseat, Tony continued to stare back at his house until it was out of sight, he drew a shaky breath before squaring his shoulders and turning to face the front.

He wondered if there would be any pine trees at his new school.


End file.
